Gun-sight and mounting therefor.



M. R. RANDALL.

GUN SIGHT AND MOUNTING THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5.1916- Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

lwvewto; a wahz My MOW MYBON IR. RANDALL, OF WAUPACA, WISCONSIN.

GUN-SIGHT AND MOUNTING THEREFOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1918.

Application filed June 5, 1916. Serial No. 101,658.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MYRON It. RANDALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waupaca, county of \Vaupaca, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gun-Sights and Mountings Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in gun sights and mountings therefor.

The object of my invention is to provide a form of construction in which a set of interchangeable sights may be utilized in a single mounting or anchor piece and rigidly supported thereby exactly in the desired position of adjustment and interchanged without the use of tools.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fragment of a gun, showing two of my improved sights mounted thereon in position for use.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the front sight, drawn on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the front sight, drawn on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the rear sight, drawn on line H of Fig. 1, the mounting being partially broken away.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views, showing two of the interchangeable front sights each in side elevation.

Figs. 7 and 8 are views of the same two sights in rear elevation.

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views, showing two interchangeable rear sights each in front elevation.

Like parts are identified by the same reference letters throughout the several views.

The gun barrel A is provided with transverse dove tailed grooves at a, a, in which the anchor members B, B of the rear and front mountings are respectively secured by transverse manipulation of the anchor members in the grooves. The anchor. members fit tightly in the grooves into which they are forcibly driven and they may be left permanently in place. Any other means for anchoring the mountings to the gun barrel may be employed, since with my improved construction, it is not necessary to remove the mountings in order to change the sights.

The mounting B of the front sight comprises an upwardly projecting and preferably integral portion of the anchor member and is provided with a channel 0 extending across the mounting in a plane which includes the axis of the gun barrel. At the base of the channel C, the anchor member is provided with a recess or aperture C of substantially the same width as the channel, but which extends (from front to rear) only across the middle portion of the anchor member. The mounting is pro v-ided with a tubular socket D extending therein transversely of the gun barrel and in which a spring actuated locking plunger D is seated. The plunger is seated against a coiled spring d located at the inner end or base of the socket. The end of the plunger opposite that upon which the spring bears is provided with a cone cl adapted to enter the conically tapered aperture in the sight supporting plate, as hereinafter explained. An operating stem E is connected with the tip or point of the cone and projects to or slightly through the open end of the socket, the extremity of the stem being provided with an operating knob E. The plunger is also provided with an intermediate collar 6. A stop F projects into the socket D from the mounting or preferably from the anchor piece forming a part thereof and is located between the collar e and the operating knob E, whereby the motion of the stem E in either direction is limited by this stop. The outward motion of the stem is arrested when the collar 6 engages the stop and the inward motion is arrested when the knob E engages the stop. The stop may be conveniently formed by inserting a screw into a threaded vertically disposed aperture in the anchor member B, the inner end of the screw being unthreaded and exposed in the tubular socket D.

Each of the front sights is provided with a sight supporting plate Gr, having an aperture G through which the plunger operating stem E may pass. The wall of this aperture is reamed out on one side to receive the plunger cone d, and on the lower side the wall of the aperture is entirely cut away in the form of an open slot 9, on each side of which the plate is provided with downwardly projecting lips 9 adapted to enter the recess 0, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The open slot 9 is of suflicient width to allow the stem E to pass through it into the hole G, but the plunger cone 0? is of suflicient size to engage against and fit the reamed margins of this hole which form a seat for the cone. It is therefore obvious that when the plunger is pushed inwardly against the tension of the spring d, the plate G may be inserted in the channel C and so manipulated that the lips g pass downwardly on opposite sides of the stem E into the recess C in the base or anchor portion of the mounting. Then if the plunger is permitted to move outwardly under the pressure of spring (Z, the cone d engaging the beveled or conical reamed out portion of the wall of aperture G, will press the plate Gr forcibly against the opposite wall of channel O and recess C and securely lock it in such position. The upper portion of the plate G is reduced in width, as indicated at h, and the sight is mounted upon the upper margin of this reduced portion.

In Figs. 5 and 7, the sight H is of the ordinary type, known as a bead sight. In Figs. 6 and 8, the sight is what is known as an aperture sight or sometimes called a telescope sight. These two sights are illustrated merely to show the interchangeable character of the sights. I do not limit the scope of my invention to the use of any specific type of sight, since any suitable sight may be supported from a plate G and used in connection with my improved mounting and in connection with other interchangeable sights. To remove one sight and substitute another one, it is merely necessary to press upon the knob E, whereupon the sight, together with the sight supporting plate Gr may be pulled out vertically from the channel G and another sight having a similar plate G substituted therefor, after which the pressure upon the knob E may be released to allow the plunger cl to lock the newly adjusted sight in position. The plate G, when locked in position, will be held in a position with the aXis of the sight substantially coinciding with a vertical plane which also includes the axis of the gun barrel when the latter is in correct position for use.

lVhile the description thus far given pertains, more especially, to the front sight and the mountings therefor the rear sight and mountings therefor may be substantially the same. But I preferably employ a plurality of interchangeable plates J and K, each of which may be provided upon its respective upper and lower edges with V-shaped and circular notches L and M, (see Fig. 9), or O and P, (see Fig. 10), and at their respective ends with half cone or concave recesses Q and R to receive a locking plunger S, whereby said plates may be either inverted or interchangeably used as desired. The plates J and K are also provided with beveled end margins and are adapted to engage in a shallow dove-tailed socket in the mounting and are locked therein by a spring actuated plunger S, similar to the plunger D but which extends along the rear face of the plate J (or K) with its locking cone S engaging on one side in one of the recesses Q (or R) whereby the plate is pressed rearwardly against the angular wall of the mounting socket. A set screw T, (Fig. 1) may also be employed to raise the rear sight if desired, the connecting shank U being resilient.

It will be understood that extreme accuracy is required in securing the sight plates to the barrel of a gun, as a slight defect or variation in the location of the sight would cause the gun to be inaccurate. For this reason it becomes necessary that the sight plates accurately and closely fit in their bearings in the mountings, and that the plunger be made to accurately fit the conical bearings of the sight plates, whereby all of said parts are securely retained in their accurate and proper location.

I claim 1. In a device of the described class, the combination with a gun barrel, of a mounting thereon provided with a channel adapted to receive any one of a plurality of interchangeable sight supporting plates, and a locking device in the mounting adapted to hold a sight plate in fixed relation to the gun barrel when the sight plate is properly adjusted in said channel, said locking device comprising a spring actuated plunger provided with a. locking cone adapted to engage in a conically tapered socket in the sight plate.

2. In a device of the described class, the combination with a gun barrel, of a mounting thereon provided with a channel adapted to receive any one of a plurality of interchangeable sight supporting plates, and a locking device in the mounting adapted to hold a sight plate in fixed relation to the gun barrel when the sight plate is properly adjusted in said channel, said locking device comprising a plunger socketed in said mounting and having one end provided with a projecting thumb piece, a sight plate engaging member carried by said plunger, and a spring located in the mounting socket and adapted to actuate the plunger in a direction to carry said engaging member into forcible contact with the sight plate.

3. In a device of the described class, the combination with a gun barrel, a mounting adapted to be carried by said barrel, a plurality of sight plates, said mounting being provided with a vertical slot for the reception of said sight plate, a longitudinal socket for the reception of a spring, a spring, and a spring actuated plunger located in said socket, said plunger being adapted to be moved longitudinally in said socket by said spring, and thereby thrown into engagement with said sight plate and to be manually moved in the opposite direction against said spring, whereby said sight plate may be removed.

at. In a device of the described class, the

combination With a gun barrel, of a plurality of sight plates, a mounting provided with a vertical slot for the reception of one of said vertical sight plates, a longitudinal socket for the reception of a spring, a spring, and a spring actuated plunger, a collar secured to said plunger, a stop projecting into said socket, said collar and stop being adapted to limit the longitudinal movement of said plunger in said socket.

5. In a device of the described class, the combination of a gun barrel, a plunger, a plurality of sight plates, each of said plates being provided with a vertical slot for the reception of said plunger, and a tapered aperture for the reception of a cone formed on said plunger,

sight plate provided With a tapered aperture, a longitudinal socket for the reception of a spring, a spring, a spring actuated plunger, said plunger being provided with a cone adapted to engage the tapered aperture of said sight plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

MYRON R. RANDALL.

Witnesses L. D. SMITH, JULIA NELSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

